¶ Location
- Laser Room on the table
- Big blue machine with Omtech on it
¶ Equipment Info
| Laser Type | CO2 glass tube, 10.6 µm wavelength |
| Power | 60 W |
| Work Area | 16" × 24" (400 × 600 mm) |
| Max Engraving Speed | 600 mm/s (23.6 in/s) |
| Max Cutting Speed | 400 mm/s (15.7 in/s) |
| Max Cutting Depth | ~6 mm (0.25") depending on material |
| Positioning Accuracy | ±0.01 mm (±0.0004") |
| Tube Lifetime | ~1,000 hrs at high power; up to 2,000 hrs at lower settings (10–40%) |
| Work Beds | Honeycomb bed + aluminum knife blade bed (both included) |
| Pass-Through | Front/rear and side pass-through doors for oversized stock |
| Cooling | External water chiller — required before any operation |
| Ventilation | External exhaust system — required before any operation |
| Controller | Ruida DSP controller |
| Software | LightBurn (primary) |
| Connectivity | USB cable |
¶ Safety
A CO2 laser at 60W can ignite materials, cause permanent eye damage, and produce toxic fumes — all within seconds. Every rule in this section must be followed every session, without exception.
¶ Required PPE
- Laser safety glasses rated for CO2 (10.6 µm) — must be worn any time the lid is open and the laser could fire
- The machine's tinted acrylic window blocks the beam during normal operation — glasses are required as backup protection and whenever the lid is raised
- Standard safety glasses or sunglasses do NOT protect against CO2 laser wavelengths
¶ Pre-Flight Checklist — Do This Before Every Job
These are not optional. Do them in order before firing the laser on any job.
- Confirm the exhaust/ventilation system is running — you should be able to hear the fan actively pulling air. Do not start any job without exhaust running
- Confirm the water chiller is powered on and circulating — the pump should be audible or visible. Check the temperature display: water must be between 15–25°C (59–77°F) before firing
- Check that coolant water level is adequate in the chiller reservoir
- Inspect the work area inside the machine — remove all debris, leftover material, and loose scraps before starting
- Confirm your material is on the approved materials list and is not a banned material
- Set the correct focus for your material using the focus gauge (see Focusing section)
- Use the Frame function in LightBurn to preview the job boundary before firing — confirm placement and that the laser head won't travel out of bounds or off the material
- Keep the fire blanket within arm's reach. It is located at [TODO: location]
¶ Water Chiller — Safe Temperature Range
The water temperature must be between 15°C and 25°C (59°F–77°F) before and throughout any job.
- Below 15°C (59°F): risk of condensation forming on the tube and optics, which can cause electrical shorts and optical damage
- Above 25°C (77°F): reduced laser output power and accelerated tube degradation. Above 30°C, risk of permanent tube damage
- If the chiller alarm triggers or temperature is out of range: stop the job immediately. Do not resume until temperature is back in range
- The CW-3000 chiller (air-cooled/thermolysis type) cannot actively refrigerate — it can only dissipate heat at ambient temperature. In hot weather, this chiller may struggle to keep water below 25°C. If this occurs, reduce power settings and run time, or contact Ned
- Changing the water in the chiller should only be done by authorized individuals (e.g., laser lead)
¶ Never Leave the Machine Unattended
⚠ Stay present for the entire job. Fire is a real and fast risk. A flare-up can become a serious fire in seconds, especially with wood, paper, and cardboard.
- You may watch through the tinted lid window during operation — the sepia filter blocks the beam
- If you need to step away briefly, pause the job first
- Monitor for unexpected smoke, flare-ups, or the smell of burning beyond normal — these are signs to stop the job
¶ E-Stop and Fire Response
⚠ E-Stop is the large red button located at [TODO: confirm location on/near the machine]. It cuts all power immediately. Know where it is before you start.
- Hit E-Stop immediately for: visible fire or sustained flare-up, unexpected laser behavior, smoke that doesn't stop when the job pauses, any electrical smell, or any situation that looks wrong
- Fire blanket is located at [TODO: location]. Smother small fires with the blanket — do not use water on an electrical fire
- Fire extinguisher is located at [TODO: location near laser]. Use a CO2 or dry chemical extinguisher — not water
- After any E-Stop event: do not restart the machine until the cause has been identified and resolved. Report the incident to Ned Hill (Laser Lead) before the machine is used again
¶ Enclosure & Interlock Rules
- Do not open the lid during operation — the lid interlock will cut the laser if opened, but always pause or stop the job first before lifting the lid
- Do not defeat, bypass, or disable any safety interlock
- The tinted window is for monitoring only — do not remove or replace it with untinted material
¶ Approved & Banned Materials
¶ Approved Materials
| Material | Operations | Notes |
| Wood | Cut and engrave | ≤ 1/4" (6 mm) thickness for cutting. Thicker stock can be engraved. Always run ventilation — wood smoke contains particulates and VOCs. Avoid oily or resin-heavy woods in thick sections. |
| Acrylic (cast) | Cut and engrave | Produces clean edges and excellent engraved detail. Cast acrylic cuts better than extruded. Produces fumes — ventilation is mandatory. |
| Cardboard and paper | Cut and engrave | Highest fire risk material — use low power, monitor closely, do not leave unattended even briefly. |
| Leather (natural) | Cut and engrave | Natural leather only. Synthetic or faux leather may contain PVC — test unknown leather with a small burn test first. |
| Anodized aluminum | Engrave only | The CO2 laser can engrave the anodized coating but cannot cut aluminum. Produces minimal fumes. |
| Rubber (non-chlorinated) | Cut and engrave | Natural rubber and laser-safe rubber stamps only. Do not use rubber containing chlorine. |
| Glass and ceramic | Engrave only | Surface engraving only — cannot cut. Use low power to avoid cracking from thermal shock. |
| Stone and slate | Engrave only | Surface engraving only. Good results on slate. Produces fine mineral dust — ventilation mandatory. |
| Fabric (natural fibers) | Cut and engrave | Cotton, denim, felt, wool. Synthetic fabrics containing plastic or chlorine blends should be checked before use. |
¶ Banned Materials — Never Laser These
Using banned materials can injure you, kill others in the space, damage the machine, and potentially trigger a hazmat response. There are no exceptions.
⚠ PVC, vinyl, or anything containing chlorine — burning PVC releases chlorine gas, which is immediately dangerous and permanently corrodes the machine's mirrors, lens, and metal components
⚠ ABS plastic — releases hydrogen cyanide fumes when burned. Toxic even in small quantities.
⚠ Polycarbonate (PC) — burns poorly, produces thick toxic black smoke, and chars rather than cutting cleanly
⚠ Fiberglass / FR4 (PCB substrate) — produces carcinogenic glass fiber and resin particles
⚠ Carbon fiber — produces extremely fine carcinogenic particles. Not safe even with ventilation running
⚠ Pressure-treated wood (CCA or ACQ treated) — contains arsenic and copper compounds that produce toxic fumes when burned
⚠ Beryllium, beryllium copper alloys — highly toxic dust
⚠ Any coated or painted metal (unless coating is confirmed laser-safe) — unknown coatings may release toxic fumes
⚠ Polystyrene / styrofoam — melts and produces thick toxic black smoke; high fire risk
ℹ When in doubt about a material, check with Hardik or Ned Hill (Laser Lead) before attempting to cut or engrave it. If you can't confirm what a material is, don't laser it.
¶ Operating Procedure
¶ Startup Sequence
- Turn on the exhaust/ventilation system — confirm you can hear it running
- Turn on the water chiller — wait for it to reach operating temperature (15–25°C / 59–77°F). This may take a few minutes in warm weather
- Power on the laser engraver (main power switch)
- Open LightBurn on the connected computer and confirm the machine shows as connected
- Home the machine if prompted (or from Machine Controls in LightBurn)
¶ Job Setup in LightBurn
- Import your design file (SVG, DXF, AI, PDF, PNG, or JPG)
- Assign layers in LightBurn — each layer can have independent speed, power, passes, and mode (Cut, Engrave, or Fill)
- Set the correct speed and power for your material — see the material settings library at [TODO: confirm if space maintains a shared LightBurn library and how to access it]
- Verify the design fits within the 16" × 24" work area
- Use 'Frame' (or Alt+F) to run the laser head along the job boundary without firing — confirms placement before you commit
¶ Focusing
- Correct focus is critical — an out-of-focus beam produces wide, fuzzy cuts, poor engraving quality, and wastes tube power
- Manual focus: place the focus gauge/tool on the material surface and adjust the Z height (bed or laser head) until the gauge just fits under the focal point. The focus gauge is located at [TODO: location]
- Re-focus whenever you change material thickness — even a few mm changes the focal plane enough to affect cut quality
¶ Starting the Job
- Confirm pre-flight checklist is complete (ventilation on, chiller at temp, material secured, focus set, frame confirmed)
- Close the lid
- Click 'Start' in LightBurn — or send the job from the control panel
- Watch the first pass closely to confirm the laser is hitting the right area and the material is responding as expected
- Stay present for the entire job
¶ After the Job — Shutdown Sequence
- Let the job complete and the laser head return to home position
- Allow smoke and fumes to fully exhaust before opening the lid and reaching inside — keep ventilation running for 1–2 minutes after the job ends
- Remove your workpiece and any masking material
- Vacuum or brush out debris from the work area — do not leave charred material or small scraps in the machine
- Power off the laser engraver
- Leave the chiller running for 5–10 minutes after shutting off the laser to fully dissipate residual heat from the tube, then power off the chiller
- Power off the ventilation fan
- Share your project on Discord at #projects-youre-working-on
¶ Tube Run Time
- Avoid running the laser continuously at high power for more than 30–60 minutes without a short break — this allows the chiller to bring the tube temperature back down
- Running the tube above 70% power significantly shortens tube life — use the minimum power needed for clean results
- Tube lifetime is approximately 1,000 hours at high power settings, and up to 2,000 hours when consistently operated at 10–40% power
- If you notice reduced cutting power compared to previous sessions, or the plasma inside the tube appears white instead of pink/purple, the tube may be nearing end of life — report this to Ned
¶ Maintenance
¶ Member Responsibilities (After Every Session)
- Remove all material scraps, masking tape, and debris from the work bed
- Wipe the interior with a dry cloth to remove soot buildup — accumulated soot and debris are a fire hazard
- Check that the honeycomb or knife blade bed is clear and undamaged
- Report any issues to Ned Hill (Laser Lead) via [TODO: Slack/Discord channel or other]
¶ Member-Permitted Maintenance
- Cleaning the work beds (honeycomb, knife blade) with a damp cloth — fully dry before reinstalling
- Wiping down the interior walls with a dry cloth after each session
- Checking and refilling the chiller reservoir with distilled water if the level is low — confirm with Ned before adding new fluid
ℹ Lens and mirror cleaning: this is listed as a lead-only task. Do not attempt to clean lenses or mirrors without being specifically authorized to do so — improper cleaning permanently damages optics.
¶ Laser-Lead-Only Maintenance
- Mirror alignment and beam alignment — requires specialized tools and training; misalignment causes poor cuts, back-reflections, and tube damage
- Lens cleaning and replacement — ZnSe lenses are fragile and expensive; improper cleaning scratches the coating
- Water system maintenance: chiller fluid change (every 3–6 months), hose inspection, leak check
- Exhaust fan maintenance and filter/contactor replacement
- Any electrical, power supply, or tube-related service
- Firmware or controller updates
¶ Troubleshooting
| Issue | What to do |
| Laser not cutting through material | Check focus — most common cause. Check power/speed settings for material. Check chiller temperature. If power seems generally reduced vs. before, tube may be aging — report to Ned. |
| Visible flare-up or sustained flame | E-Stop immediately. Wait for flame to extinguish. Do not resume until cause is identified. Report to Ned. |
| Smoke doesn't clear after pausing | Check that exhaust/ventilation is running. If fan has stopped, power off the laser and do not restart until fixed. |
| Chiller temperature alarm or out of range | Stop job immediately. Do not resume until temperature returns to 15–25°C. Check coolant level and ambient temperature. |
| Chiller temperature keeps rising | Stop job and let chiller run with laser off. In hot ambient conditions, the CW-3000 may not keep up — report to Ned if this is recurring. |
| Job running in wrong location | Use Frame first next time. Check origin point in LightBurn matches physical setup. |
| Machine not connecting in LightBurn | Check USB cable is directly connected to the machine (not the USB hub). Restart LightBurn. Confirm machine is powered on. |
| Engraving quality is fuzzy or wide | Re-check focus — likely out of focus for this material thickness. Refocus and re-run a test. |
| Unusual smell (sharp/chemical) | E-Stop. Ventilate the space. Check if a banned material was accidentally loaded or if a material has unknown coatings. Report to Ned. |
¶ Access Requirements
- In-person training with Ned Hill (Laser Lead) is required before solo use
- Training covers: approved and banned materials, ventilation and chiller startup procedure, LightBurn basics, focusing, fire safety, and E-Stop location
- [TODO: is there a required video or quiz to complete before or after in-person training?]
¶ Members With Access
- Hardik Patel — space-wide lead
- Ned Hill — laser lead
- TODO — additional trained members
¶ Reference Material
Software
LightBurn is the primary software for designing and sending jobs to the laser
Official LightBurn documentation: https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com
LightBurn official video tutorials: https://lightburnsoftware.com/pages/tutorials
LightBurn community forum (excellent resource for settings and troubleshooting): https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com
¶ Material Settings
Space material settings library: [TODO — confirm if the space maintains a shared LightBurn material library with tested speed/power settings. If so, describe how to access it here]
As a starting reference, community-sourced settings are available on the LightBurn forum and at https://laserdatabase.com — always run a small test cut before committing to a full job
General starting points for 60W CO2 on common materials are posted at [TODO: physical card near the machine or linked doc]
¶ Helpful Videos
LightBurn intro for beginners: [TODO — recommended LightBurn intro video]
Inkscape-to-laser workflow: [TODO — recommended Inkscape-to-LightBurn video]
CO2 laser overview / beginner guide: [TODO — recommended general CO2 laser video]
Space-specific walkthrough from training: [TODO — if a recording exists]